Holder for electron discharge devices



June 19, 1951 J. L. CLARK HOLDER FOR summon DISCHARGE mavrcss Filed Dec. 10, 1945 SLEEVES E W T c E T o R P E B U J W INVENTOR JAMES L. CLARK TUBE PROTECTIVE, STRIPS 9 m N R O T T A Opium Patented June 19, 1951 T '1 HOLDER FOR Secretary of War ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICES James L. Clark, Cambridge, United States of America Mass., assignor to the as represented by the Application December 10, 1945, Serial No. 634,087 2 Claims. (Cl. 248361)' The invention to be hereinafter described reilates to tube sockets and more particularly to "sockets or mounts for tubes known as doorknob type.

" Tubes having an approximately elliptical shape in cross section in the plane of the minor axis and a substantially circular shape in cross sec tion in the plane of the major axis, and therefore more or less generally referred to as doorknob-type tubes, present numerous well known difficulties in mounting due' to the fact that known types of tube sockets do not have adequate provisions for the various connections to such tubes while in use.

' The main objects of the present invention are .to overcome the above and other objections and disadvantages and provide a simple, compact and efficient socket, mount or holder for such tubes vwhich may be readily and quickly produced from materials readily obtainable.

In order to understand more clearly the invention and its operation and use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the present invention.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like reference characters designate the same parts in the different views.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a panel socket for a high frequency tube embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing, partially in cross-section and partially in elevation, the tube holder mounted on a panel and having a door-knob type electron tube mounted therein, the outline of said tube being indicated by a dashed line.

The socket comprises a split-ring or two-part socket member, the part I having its circumferential inner face or wall I 9 concaved to the corresponding surface curvature of the tube with which it is to be used. The second part In likewise has its circumferential inner wall 20 concaved. The part I is termed the cap and is semihexagonal in form, while the part III is termed the base of the socket member and is rectangular. The base II) has its lower external face II, flat so as to rest squarely on the panel I 2 to which the socket member is secured by the screws I3. The socket member is erected perpendicularly on the panel I2, and clamps a door-knob high frequency tube I4, whose outline is shown by a dashed line, between its cap and base parts, I and III. The peripheral portion of the tube I4,

which is clamped by the socket I, I 0, is below the widest portion of the tube I4 and therefore said portion is smaller in diameter. The tube I4 therefore rests against the inner walls I9 and 20 of the parts I and I 0, and while it cannot fall through, it might be lifted up if the clamp did not hold it tight enough or if other means were not provided to keep it in place. The parts I and III are positioned about the tube I4, so as not to interfere with the terminals thereof. The

two parts or halves are connected by threaded rods 2 or the like passed through bores 3 in one part and threaded into alignable bores in the cooperating part. For ready manipulations, these rods ,may be provided with elongated knurled heads. By turning of the rods, the parts may be drawn to operative position about the tube. And, of course, by loosening the rods the parts may be separated and removed from about the tube. Preferably, the split-ring member is of linen, bakelite, or material having similar characteristics capable of maintaining capacitance at low value between the tube elements and ground. As a protection to the tube and to further accommodate the contour to the socket, the clamping or interior surface of the split-ring may be lined with strips I5 of asbestos, fibre glass or the like. The lining strips I5 cushion the clamping action of the parts I and I0, on the tube I4. Extending from the members of the split-ring are a plurality of spacer posts 4. Preferably these posts are somewhat less in length than the short axis of the tube with which the invention is to be used and are disposed, in assembled position, substantially parallel therewith. Thus, as will be seen on reference to Fig. 2, their free ends, in use, will be appreciably below the plane of the upper surface of a tube mounted in the assembled socket. One simple and practical construction of the posts is tubes having threaded bores at opposite ends. Screws 5 passing through the split-ring member and turning into the posts anchor them to the half rings. Screws Ii turning into the opposite ends are used to secure to the respective post, cooperating, wide, leaf springs I covered by sleeves I1 of asbestos, fibre glass or the like to protect the tube and more readily adapt the spring surface to the tube contour. The asbestos sleeves I1, also obstruct the flow of heat generated in said tubes during operation and lessen the chance of injury to surrounding parts of the equipment and the users operating it. The asbestos strips I5 lining the inner surfaces of the parts I and III, serve similar purposes.

cumferentially spaced. That has been found to v be a very satisfactory construction and arrange- In the drawings three posts and 1. A holder for a door-knob type electron discharge tube which has a generally cylindrical shape with a diameter diminishing toward the ends thereof and terminals extending substantially parallel to the axis thereof, comprising a first clamp consisting of a pair of members each having a substantiallyjsemi-circular concave edge and means clamping said members together to form a ring of varying diameter shaped to fit about a diminishing portion of said discharge tube, one of said members having a flat surface for mounting said first clamp on a flat plate in ment. It will be obvious, however, that a greater number may be used.

It will be seen that a socket of this type readily provides for slight variations in size as well as some variations in surface irregularities or slight differences in curvatures. a

The tube, while in this socket, is completely a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane containing said ring, and a second clamp mounted on one of saidfirst clamp members, said second clamp consisting of a leaf spring directed radiaccessible as to all connections at both sides, per- 'mitting ready use of flexible cable connection to both sides simultaneously.

It will also be evident that with this invention, tubes of the type mentioned may be very readily removed and replaced both in the case of repair and renewal.

It isthought that the construction, operation and use of the invention will be clear from the preceding detailed description.

' Many changes may be made in the construcftion, arrangement and disposiiton of the differ- *ent parts of the invention within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the field of the invention and it is meant to include all such within the present application wherein only one preferred form of the invention has been illustrated purely by way of example and with no thought or intention to, in any degree, limit the invention thereby.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

ally inwardly relative to said ring for maintaining said door-knob tube pressed against said ring with its longitudinal axis parallel to said flat surface.

'2. .A holder according to claim 1 further comprising a heat insulating and cushioning sleeve positioned about said leaf spring and linings of heat insulating cushioning material on the concave parts of said first clamping members. JAMESLCLARK.

REFERENCES CI'TED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STQA'IES PATENTS Number Name Date 382,272 Robb May 1, 1888 920,169 Neuberth May 4, 1909 1,568,014 Watson Dec. 29, 1925 2,041,132 Johnson May 19,1936 2,072,939 B'etts Mar. 9, 1937 2,150,784 Roehm Mar. 14, 1939 2,226,936 Markey Dec. 31, 1940 2,372,987 Shaver Apr. 3, I945 

